Pattern

Fabric and Notions

Random pieces of black elastic from my stash. I used fold-over elastic for the top and some random black elastic (that is probably neither as soft nor as wide as it should be) for both the band and the straps.

Adjustments

I left off the strap sliders and rings. I just put on the bra when it was almost finished and pinned the strap elastic to it at a comfortable length and sewed it down.

I also left off the back closure. I don’t see what I’d need it for in a bra without underwires. I can just pull the bra over my head. I removed the back seam allowance and cut the back piece on the fold. I think that I must thus have made the bra snugger than drafted, since the back closure would add some width, but it fits me fine like this.

What I struggled with

I found the instructions for this pattern lacking in detail. I know that it’s supposed to be “geared towards Intermediate Level Sewists”, but I would still have appreciated more thorough guidance. There are only three really small and rather unhelpful photographs. Two of them are superfluous, in my opinion, the third is for a step I skipped. Other than that, there’s just text, and not that much of it. Think Burda magazine instructions and you’d be about right.

I’m not sure whether the way I attached the band elastic was the intended way.

I suck at attaching any kind of elastic to anything, so both the top and bottom edges of this bra are really wonky. I should practise this a lot if I ever want to make decent-looking underwear.

What I want to do differently next time

I’m not sure I really want to make another of these. I think that I prefer the style of the Brigette Triangle Bra, which was released after I had already bought the Jasmine. So I will probably ask for that pattern for my birthday and wait until then with making another bra. I do have some notes on what I didn’t like about this pattern and/or my choices, however, so figured I’d write them down just in case.

I should flatten the curve above the bust a bit, it feels like there’s a little more fabric there than I need.

I would definitely line it next time to enclose all of the seams. I didn’t because this jersey is a little heavier than it should be for underwear, I think, and I didn’t want to make a piece of body armour. Also, this is just a toile.

I really didn’t like the way the band elastic is attached. I might have misunderstood the instructions and what I did might not have been what was intended. In any case, I’d have to find a neater way next time because I really don’t like the result of this. I might even use fold-over elastic or decorative elastic for the “band” as well, or sew a casing and thread in the elastic.

I would probably try to enclose the straps between the exterior and lining pieces. I don’t like that they’re sewn on last and the raw ends are left sticking out.